The great Wall
Houston rapper a whirl of productivity with new album, store
Paul Wall just released “The Houston Oiler,” his ninth studio album, in October. But the Houston rapper — known for flashing a smile full of diamonds and gold — isn’t just making the rounds trying to hype his new record.
Rather, Wall has been promoting the opening of a new jewelry store with Johnny Dang and, oddly, already making more music.
He spends much of his week in the recording studio and is planning three more solo albums for 2017, alongside joint projects with Slim Thug, LE$, Z-Ro, Lil Keke and C. Stone. Wall says he has more than 60 other songs “ready to go” and credits his productivity to an awakening of sorts.
“Spiritually, I’ve been renewed and refreshed,” he says. “A lot of baggage that I might be bringing with me into the studio I don’t feel like I have. Personally in my life, I’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs. There have been a lot of deaths, just different things I felt were bringing me down.
“At some point, I came to a stop sign and made a right turn with my music. I kind of changed my direction and my path a little bit, just being a more responsible artist in terms of what my music is about.”
“Of course, sometimes we want to be fun and ratchet and ignorant. But I’m trying not to do that as much.”
Wall burst onto the national scene a decade ago as part of the Houston rap explosion that included Slim Thug, Chamillionaire and Mike Jones. His songs became party anthems that celebrated getting high, making money, sipping syrup and slabs.
But he’s reflective throughout new album “The Houston Oiler,” which tempers the typical H-town bangers with more serious ruminations, including opening track “Money Don’t Make Me,” an ode to hustling through good and bad times; and “Stop Cryin, Start Prayin,” a sweeping swirl of melody that preaches staying positive.
Wall says he drew inspiration for his thematic shift from “The Other Day,” a 2002 song many fans consider an all-time favorite. It’s featured on “Get Ya Mind Correct,” a 2002 joint album with Chamillionaire.
“As I’m going down this serious path, I’m realizing and understanding that this is why God has brought me through different turmoil or stress or incidents that might have brought me down. It was so that I could understand what it feels like to go through these things,” he says.
Wall says he finished “The Houston Oiler” several months ago but delayed its release to coincide with the opening of Johnny Dang & Co., a two-level jewelry and department store he opened in October with business partner Dang (known in hiphop circles as TV Johnny). The $4.5 million building sits on Richmond near the V Live strip club, a magnet for hiphop stars, and several strip centers.
Along with custom jewelry and grillz, the store features brands such as True Religion, Lacoste and Rich Boy Cartel. There are rows of designer sneakers priced upwards of $1,000 as well as lots of chandeliers and even more gold.
During the grand-opening party, Wall sported a vintage Warren Moon Houston Oilers jersey and worked the room like an eager dad: shaking hands, posing for photos and flashing his infectious smile. Patrons dined on egg rolls, fried rice and cookies. The guest list included R&B singer Ashanti, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Lil Keke and digital strategist Karen Civil.
“It’s fun, definitely, because we both got good personalities. We’re both positive people,” Wall says of his relationship with Dang, a Vietnamese immigrant who previously opened stores at Sharpstown Mall and The Galleria. “It’s great to be in business with somebody who’s on the same wavelength.”
Dang, a diminutive fellow in tailored suits, says he opened the new store partly out of convenience. The building employs more than 30 jewelers, who work meticulously on grillz and other pieces and are visible to customers from behind glass panels.
“I wanted a spot where I could sell outside, and where there were no customers, I walk right back and check on the process,” Dang says.
Dang and Wall have created custom grillz for a staggering list of clients, including Beyoncé, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Big Sean, Diddy, Lil Wayne and Travis Scott.
“Beyoncé’s probably the one we’re most proud of,” Wall says of the Houston superstar. “When Beyoncé wears our grillz, there’s a sense of pride. There’s energy that just comes out. A fire lights in you of excitement.”
It’s not a coincidence he cited the hometown pop star. Wall is a tireless champion for his city. It comes up frequently in his lyrics, of course. And you’ll often see him cruising through Houston in a candycolored slab, the souped-up cars popularized in Houston’s hip-hop culture. He’s the former president of the Recording Academy Texas Chapter and is currently a trustee.
Last month, he participated in “Roll with us to the Polls,” an effort to promote early voting and local elections, alongside Dang, Z-Ro, Lil Keke and others. And he’s part of the Welcome to Houston rap set that is part of next month’s Day for Night festival.
“I can rap with Kanye West and hold it down. I can rap with Riff Raff and hold it down. I can rap with A$AP Rocky and hold it down. I can rap with Travis Scott and hold it down. But I wanna rap with Slim Thug, Lil Keke and Z-Ro and hold it down,” Wall says of his Houston hip-hop peers.
“I’ve always felt like there’s no place like Texas. I love Houston. I never wanted to be a success and move to New York or be a success and move to Atlanta or Miami or L.A. To me, driving a slab was always a thousand times better than driving a Rolls Royce.”